Many migraine sufferers find that conventional drug therapies don’t provide effective relief or produce side effects they cannot stomach, prompting them to explore complementary and alternative therapies as a possible solution.
These treatments include herbal medications such as feverfew, which has been proven effective. Furthermore, biofeedback teaches participants to control physical responses such as muscle tension or perspiration via monitor; meditation and yoga; as well as stress-relieving treatments like massage or acupuncture.
Acupuncture
Many migraine sufferers do not respond well to traditional pharmacological treatments or experience side effects from them; in such instances, complementary and alternative medicine (CAM) therapies can provide helpful relief.
Noninvasive mind-body treatments that focus on learning to reduce stress may help to decrease migraine pain and frequency, such as biofeedback, relaxation training and yoga.
Research has established that acupuncture provides relief for nausea and vomiting caused by chemotherapy or surgery and chronic back pain, osteoarthritis, fibromyalgia, headache and green light therapy has shown some promise for relieving migraine pain by increasing production of pain-relieving chemicals within the brain; however more research needs to be completed in this field.
Massage
Massage promotes blood flow, increasing oxygen and nutrients delivered to organs and tissues as well as flushing out toxins and carbon dioxide from your system. It may even help rid yourself of unwanted excess weight!
Craniosacral massage may help alleviate migraine symptoms in some people. This technique addresses imbalances within the craniosacral system – comprised of membranes and cerebrospinal fluid that protect your brain and spinal cord – by targeting any imbalances present within it.
Headaches can often be treated using natural therapies such as feverfew or Ginkgo biloba leaves; however, more research needs to be conducted. A doctor can advise you as to whether these options might work with your traditional treatment plan and what will work for your specific case.
Physical Therapy
Tessa suffers migraines on an average of four to six days each week, which are debilitating and can last up to 12 hours at a time, often accompanying light sensitivity and physical discomfort.
Traditional pharmaceutical treatments often fail to deliver or may cause side effects; thus, many migraine sufferers turn to alternative therapies worldwide as an answer.
Nutraceuticals, mind-body interventions and manual therapy are some of the treatments offered to address chronic health conditions. Some examples include yoga, mindfulness and cognitive behavior therapy as well as acupuncture treatment options.
Physical therapy encompasses various manual modalities, such as cervical mobilization and manipulation, massage therapy, myofascial trigger point therapy and passive stretching. One study concluded that physical therapy reduced headache frequency for migraineurs compared to medication alone.
Meditation
Meditation can be an effective solution if stress is the trigger for migraines, according to research. Regular practice has shown to decrease both frequency and severity of headache episodes in those who have previously experienced them.
Studies have also demonstrated how mindfulness meditation can increase pain tolerance while decreasing rumination and catastrophizing, leading to reduced days with migraine and less disability in participants who regularly practiced mindfulness meditation compared to participants in the control group.
Start meditation by finding a comfortable place, closing your eyes, and focusing on breathing. If any thoughts arise, simply recognize them and bring back focus onto breathing.
Biofeedback
Biofeedback uses sensors attached to the body as real-time feedback sources, relayed back to a nearby screen where biofeedback practitioners use them as tools for teaching you to control automatic bodily processes such as heart rate, muscle tension, breathing rate, perspiration rate and blood pressure levels.
Biofeedback training has proven itself effective at relieving migraine symptoms such as muscle and ligament tension, stress-related symptoms such as anxiety and depression, cognitive functioning impairments associated with ADHD symptoms, as well as helping athletes reach peak performance levels.
Before trying an alternative therapy, consult your physician in order to make sure it won’t interact with existing treatments or cause severe side effects. He or she may recommend combining multiple therapies together in order to most effectively manage migraine symptoms.
Yoga
Migraines are more intense headaches, often marked by throbbing pain on one side of the head and nausea or sensitivity to light and sound. Yoga may provide some relief and even preventative measures against migraines.
Find relaxing, restorative yoga classes that focus on breathing and stretching the body, with poses designed to release tension in areas that tend to trigger migraines, such as neck and shoulders.
Studies have demonstrated that people who incorporate yoga into their migraine treatments experience fewer and less intense migraines compared to those taking medication alone. Dr. Kuruvilla believes further study needs to be conducted into non-pharmaceutical treatments like yoga for migraines.
